Man, is Boulder Salvo bad? 4 damage to a creature only is something that has been costed R. The fact that you don't get that cost even with the alternate cost is just sad.
The trend of higher costs for common removal has been in effect for at least 3 blocks.
I saw what you did there, before I even opened the youtube link. It was the first thing I thought of!!!
I love the artwork on Bone Saw (OGW version)! It's simple, yet elegant. It's dripping in pastels, but the colors are muted giving it a dreamy, hazey look and feel. I could definitely see it working in an aggro/burn deck alongside Pyromancer's Assault. Pyromancer's Assault I feel may be potentially powerful, but I can't think of a deck that would want it right now. If it were 3 mana, it probably would have been bumped up to legendary status and have far too much utility.
If you're half the game designer you purport to be you'd realize that this is pretty early pickable in limited, and probably really good in any surge deck. All commons are designed with limited in mind.
Commons should be designed with limited in mind, but that should mean they are just generally playable cards rather than combo-oriented or being dependent on synergies which may not be available. Commons should be staples for the sake of limited, while rarer cards can afford to be more niche cards. Justifying making mediocre commons on the grounds that the other commons you've made are also mediocre doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you could just make good commons.
1. Boulder Salvo isn't a mediocre card in limited, not in the least bit. It sequences well with 2-drops and 3-drops in the mid game, and when that fails you still got 4 damage for 5 mana as back up.
2. Common cards aren't all generally applicable. They fill various roles whether that's sideboard material, synergy, or filler. Heck, a number of them go unplayed even in limited. Something like Annul or Kalastria Healer shouldn't be forced to staple territory when they serves other purposes adequately.
3. A "good" common is only as good as a format permits it. Eldrazi Skyspawner is amazing in BFZ limited and it sees 0 standard play. Delver of Secrets is a bomb common in Legacy and utter jank in limited.
Boulder Salvo is a very good common pick. I expect it to be a high pick. There're many situations where I can see myself casting a Flamtongue Kavu (2 drop plus salvo). It's a million times better than Rage of Purphoros.
Remember to note that you can cast another Salvo for 1R. I foresee blowouts aplenty with this gem.
Also, do no expect a surge variant of Lightning Bolt. Modern Burn is almost like a combo deck that Wizards would probably have it in their minds.
Yes, but that 2 drop has to have 4 power
I just don't see surge being a big thing in OGW sealed though. Seems more like a constructed thing, or even an eternal thing, where you want to cantrip into surge spell every turn.
I wouldn't be surprised to see strictly better than 3 damage for Surge 1R at Rare (perhaps with the Skullcrack or Rending Volley abilities if it's surged), or similarly a strictly better Shock for Surge R. Surge Bolt seems a little far-fetched, since it's very easy to surge cheap Burn spells, and another Lightning Bolt would be unhealthy for both Standard and Modern.
For some reason I keep thinking about building a Temur Ramp Burn style deck with Pyromancer's Assault. I sincerely hope there are more great burn spells spoiled in OGW to help break Assault.
If you're half the game designer you purport to be you'd realize that this is pretty early pickable in limited, and probably really good in any surge deck. All commons are designed with limited in mind.
Commons should be designed with limited in mind, but that should mean they are just generally playable cards rather than combo-oriented or being dependent on synergies which may not be available. Commons should be staples for the sake of limited, while rarer cards can afford to be more niche cards. Justifying making mediocre commons on the grounds that the other commons you've made are also mediocre doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you could just make good commons.
On top of that, a Surge deck doesn't want Surge for the sake of Surge. A Surge deck wants two things: cards that are above-average if you play two cards in a turn, and cards that are good at enabling Surge. Jori En, Ruin Diver is a card Surge decks want, because the Surge mechanic naturally burns through your hand faster than normal, a disadvantage Jori En removes by giving you a replacement card whenever you play two spells in the same turn. Bone Saw is a card Surge decks want, because it's a 0 mana Surge activator. I'd much rather have Thunderous Wrath in my Surge deck than Boulder Volley.
A big part of what makes limited interesting is cards that different people pick at different times. This can happen from making the cards hard to evaluate and complex, but they've moved away from that, so another way to enable it is cards that play differently in different archetypes. This card is a medium to low pick outside of a deck that can enable surge, but a deck that can enable surge and especially a deck that is paid off for surge by cards like the uncommon spoiled will want to pick this very highly, which creates an interesting dynamic in draft.
Flame Slash is not really a card to compare this to since Flame Slash was in a limited format full of giant Eldrazi and enormous levelers and is above the power level of common burn spells they printed even in the surrounding sets.
Definitely excited for that red burn enchantment, more so than other variants recently :):):):
bone saw was already a card, right? You guys know that its a reprint with WAY better art now, right? I mean cool to have with some of the equipment/colorless-spells-matter/surge stuff we have around today, but its not a new card. Just checking
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The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning-less time, darkness thrives in the void but always yields to purifying light.
I invision a future where one is not mighty when he can silence a crowd with brutality,
but when he leaves them speechless with wisdom.
You played JESUS?!?! I heard none of his guys stay in the graveyard, and once you think you have him beat he ALWAYS comes back to win within three turns. I like...WORSHIP him.
Well, you see, it's really quite simple. Flame Slash is far too good in limited to be at common. Bathe is at about the right power level, and Boulder Salvo doesn't always cost 5.
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Interested in Custom Card Creation.
My Cube:Cardinal Custom Cube
A custom version of a third modern masters: MM2019
(filter->rarity to see in set rarity).
"I shock you."
"Is that the best you got?"
"I shock you again. And with Pyromancer's Assault in play I shock you yet again."
The trend of higher costs for common removal has been in effect for at least 3 blocks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8I43bF840s
I guess the second guy is seriously shocked.
MTGO: UberMower
I saw what you did there, before I even opened the youtube link. It was the first thing I thought of!!!
I love the artwork on Bone Saw (OGW version)! It's simple, yet elegant. It's dripping in pastels, but the colors are muted giving it a dreamy, hazey look and feel. I could definitely see it working in an aggro/burn deck alongside Pyromancer's Assault. Pyromancer's Assault I feel may be potentially powerful, but I can't think of a deck that would want it right now. If it were 3 mana, it probably would have been bumped up to legendary status and have far too much utility.
For those too lazy to make the jump...
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2. Common cards aren't all generally applicable. They fill various roles whether that's sideboard material, synergy, or filler. Heck, a number of them go unplayed even in limited. Something like Annul or Kalastria Healer shouldn't be forced to staple territory when they serves other purposes adequately.
3. A "good" common is only as good as a format permits it. Eldrazi Skyspawner is amazing in BFZ limited and it sees 0 standard play. Delver of Secrets is a bomb common in Legacy and utter jank in limited.
And ready.
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Remember to note that you can cast another Salvo for 1R. I foresee blowouts aplenty with this gem.
Also, do no expect a surge variant of Lightning Bolt. Modern Burn is almost like a combo deck that Wizards would probably have it in their minds.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
I just don't see surge being a big thing in OGW sealed though. Seems more like a constructed thing, or even an eternal thing, where you want to cantrip into surge spell every turn.
A big part of what makes limited interesting is cards that different people pick at different times. This can happen from making the cards hard to evaluate and complex, but they've moved away from that, so another way to enable it is cards that play differently in different archetypes. This card is a medium to low pick outside of a deck that can enable surge, but a deck that can enable surge and especially a deck that is paid off for surge by cards like the uncommon spoiled will want to pick this very highly, which creates an interesting dynamic in draft.
Flame Slash is not really a card to compare this to since Flame Slash was in a limited format full of giant Eldrazi and enormous levelers and is above the power level of common burn spells they printed even in the surrounding sets.
bone saw was already a card, right? You guys know that its a reprint with WAY better art now, right? I mean cool to have with some of the equipment/colorless-spells-matter/surge stuff we have around today, but its not a new card. Just checking
I invision a future where one is not mighty when he can silence a crowd with brutality,
but when he leaves them speechless with wisdom.
Stoneforge Mage became the next promo card.
Well..
My 180 Modern Bordered Only Cube
Well, you see, it's really quite simple. Flame Slash is far too good in limited to be at common. Bathe is at about the right power level, and Boulder Salvo doesn't always cost 5.